Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel

As we have pointed out in other postings, a strong case can be made that one of the most serious  “deadly sins” of history is the sin of misogyny. Men have been blaming women for everything wrong in their lives since the Garden of Eden. Much has not changed. Every faith grapples with misogyny in one form or another. In Judaism, there is a well known blessing men say every day upon getting up in the morning:

“Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler the universe who has not created me a woman.”

The Original Rabbinical Source of the Blessing

The origin of this prayer is found in the Tosefta to Berakhot 6:16 that reads:

R. Judah says: “A man is bound to say the following three blessings daily: (1) ‘[Blessed are You . . .] Who has not made me a heathen’, ‘. . . . (2) Who has not made me a woman’; and  (3) ‘ . . . who has not made me an uncouth person.’”

The Tosefta then explains its rational:  (1)    “. . . a heathen,” because it is written: ^‘Before him all the nations are as nought, as nothing and void he accounts them,’” (Isa. 40:17). (2)   “. . . an uncouth person,” because it is said, “an uncouth person cannot be pious” (Avot 2:5). (3)   “. . . a woman,” for women are not legally required to observe all the precepts.

To what is this matter (i.e., gentile, uncouth people, women who perform the precepts) analogous to? A mortal king once said to his servant, ‘Go cook a meal for me.’ However, unbeknownst to the king, the servant had never cooked a meal in his life! After cooking a meal, the king got upset with him. Another analogy: A king once asked his servant to hem a garment for him, but having never hemmed a garment before, the servant ruined the garment, thus angering the king. [The moral of the story: Let those who are unfamiliar with the observance of the commandments be exempt from observing them, lest they be an affront to their Maker.]

It is interesting to note that unlike the canned apologetic responses seen in subsequent rabbinic literature, which purports that women are essentially exempt from the performance of certain time-bound precepts because of her family obligations, the Tosefta dismisses such a perspective. Her legal exemption from the commandments is because of incompetence and not because of the lack of opportunity.

Re-interpreting the Tosefta

The Talmud discusses part of the Tosefta in BT Menachot 43b:

A learned discussion began: “ R. Judah [1] used to say, ‘A man is bound to say the following three blessings daily: ‘[Blessed are You . . .] who has not made me a heathen’, ‘. . . . who hast not made me a woman’; and ‘ . . . who hast not made me a brutish man.’

One of the Sages, R. Aha b. Jacob, once overhead his son saying ‘[Blessed are You. . .] who has not made me a brutish man’, when he immediately said to him, ‘Isn’t this blessing a tad bit presumptuous?’ (Who says the rabbis didn’t have a wry sense of humor?) His son retorted, ‘OK, what would you have me say instead?’ Surely it is better to say, ‘. . . Who has not made me a slave.’ Once again his son retorted, “ How is this blessing different from that of a woman (seeing that neither one is fully obligated to carry out the precepts of the Torah; in fact they are on equal footing in terms of their obligations)?  His father rejoined, “A slave is more contemptible” (since his character is generally prone to licentious behavior, which is not the case with women). Continue Reading

Back in 1970, I remember Beit Shemesh as a little village, one that barely had people. Today, it is a city of 80,000 people—but this is one small city where its Orthodox citizens are imploding.

The time: Any day of the week you choose .  . .

The place: The local elementary school in Beth Shemesh.

The scene: Haredi Jews threaten young 8-12 year old Jewish girls with violence.

No, this is not Cracow, 1943. No, the anti-Semites are not the ones threatening Jews—Jews are threatening Jews.

The elementary school happens to be an Orthodox school for girls. The children are modestly dressed in accordance with Jewish law. Yet, the Haredi (better known as “Ultra-Orthodox” Jews) are screaming at the girls, “Prostitutes,” “whores,” and so on. The police provided an escort so that none of the girls would be attacked by the pious Haredim.

Why are the Haredim so upset? Well, to put it simply: they hate women. This is the same group that wants women to sit at the back of the bus, or avoid walking on the Haredi streets. Although their neighbors are Orthodox Zionists, they are not “kosher,” in the eyes of the Haredim. By the way, this is the same group of people who are known for spitting at the Greek Orthodox priests in Jerusalem. By the way, they also spit on women whenever they try praying at the Western Wall.

According to one article, “The campaign [ of normal people fighting back] is being driven by a small group, say parents and activists who label their Haredi opponents kanaim – loosely translated as extremist, fanatic, zealot, fundamentalist. What they do is described as “terrorism”. ‘They [the Haredi] instil fear, they use terror tactics,’ Michal Glatt, the mother of a 10-year-old pupil, says. ‘Screaming at little girls? What other word is there but terrorism?’”

Yet, Haredi terrorism also has a deviant side that the news media fails to bring out in their coverage: When a community activist named Rabbi Dov Lipman asked one protester why they were focusing on the way small girls dress, he was told “even an eight-year-old draws my eyes”.

Yeah, there’s a name for this kind of man . . .

In their warped minds, the Haredim do not see anything wrong with their behavior.

Yet, there is also a political agenda at here: By making life miserable for their religious neighbors, the Haredim are hoping to take over the city because normal people do not want to see their precious children get hurt.

Frankly, I do not understand why the Israeli government does not arrest the culprits and thrown them in jail for a couple of years. Spitting at a Greek Orthodox or non-Haredi Jew ought to be considered assault and battery. The rule ought to apply to spitting a young girls and women of all ages who refuse to look and talk like Haredim. Continue Reading

One of the most colorful figures of the 18^th century, who almost single-handedly raised the moral of the Jewish people, was a man named R. Yisrael ben Eliezer, a.k.a., the famous “Baal Shem Tov,” (literally, the “Master of the Good Name.” When one looks back in history, the Baal Shem Tov taught a very important message that many of his movement’s descendents have seemed to forgotten.

• Ahavat HaShem—a love for God; in the theology of the Baal Shem Tov, the bond between a Jew and God Almighty is grounded in the heart of the Divine. More than that, the precept of love is the basis of the entire Torah.
• Harmony and peace with one’s neighbors is essential for having a healthy relationship with God.
• Worship God with a joyfulness of heart enables one to achieve of mystical state of bliss with God called “devukut” (cleaving).
• There is no room for asceticism in  the spiritual life of a Jew.

Baal Shem Tov felt very strongly, “A small hole in the body, constituted a large hole in the soul.” The care of the soul must never come at the expense of the body, since it too is a manifestation of God, and must not be considered as hostile or oppositional to Him.

Naturally, many of his ideas did not endear himself to the more austere Kabbalistic or Talmudic schools, which felt that the study of Torah was the greatest pursuit for the average Jew. Not so for the Baal Shem Tov—the inner life of the person was just as important, but the inner life of the individual could not ignore the welfare of his fellow human beings.

Following an old tradition going back to R. Isaac Luria, one of the most famous Kabbalists of the late medieval period, all prayer must begin with the precept, “Behold, I am taking upon myself the precept to fulfill: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Baal Shem Tov made this Lurianic prescription the foundation of Jewish prayer. Prayer has minimal meaning unless one takes into consideration the personal needs of his fellow Jew.

The early followers realized the importance of these lessons and for the most part, did whatever they could do to buoy the spirits of their depressed brethren. Teachers like Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev (1740-1810), always acted like a mighty advocate for the Jewish people. There are many stories attributed to him, where he always gave the most defiant Jewish sinner, the benefit of the doubt. A typical story that is often told relates how he once noticed a wagon driver who was greasing his wheels while reciting his morning prayers, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak lifted his eyes to Heaven and cried: “Master of the Universe! Behold the piety of Your children! Even as they go about their daily affairs, they do not cease to pray to You!”

However, that was then . . .

Today’s Hassidic factions[1] that make up a large portion of Israel’s Haredi movement and their religious leaders have evolved into something radically different from what the movement’s founders once envisioned.

Their animus toward the non-Haredi world is disturbing—even shocking—to say the least. When hooligans refer to a Modern Orthodox seven year old girl a “harlot,” we have a problem of epic proportions.

They spat on poor little Naama Margolis because she was not dressed “modestly” enough in their eyes.  Proudly and boldly, this brave little girl said, “I am no longer afraid. My mother is more afraid than I am. I just want the fanatics to leave Beit Shemesh  . . .” Her mother added, “The exclusion of women from the public sphere makes my blood boil. They (Haredim) are trying to take us back to dark eras; this is a grave injustice.” By the way, the Haredim get equally upset if a girl is happens to be three years old.

Ditto!

I wonder: What would the Baal Shem Tov and Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev say, if they were alive today? The answer ought to be pretty obvious . . .

Many years ago, when I studied in Israel, I had some Haredi acquaintances who used to throw rocks at cars driving through Me’ah She’arim in Israel, but today the situation is far worse. We are witnessing virulent misogyny that has no parallel in Jewish history.

Who would imagine that Jews would ever subject Jewish children to such abuse? One must wonder: Why aren’t the Hassidic, Lithuanian, and Sephardic leaders condemning their followers’ violent behavior?

As Israel prepares itself against the greatest existential threat it has yet faced, the explosion of Haredi violence in Israel may do more damage than even a nuclear explosion in Tel Aviv. As we celebrate the holiday of Hanukkah, let us pray that the forces of light will triumph over the forces of religious intolerance and bigotry that are eroding the spirit of the Jewish people in Israel and abroad.

Remember the Coneheads?

They were one of Saturday Night Live’s most beloved characters. For the young folks reading this blog, the Coneheads were television’s very first extraterrestrial family from the planet Remulak, who accidentally got stuck on Earth. Their most distinguished feature is their cone-shaped heads; they speak in a monotone, gorge food, smoke entire packages of cigarettes, and gulp down a six pack of beer in one sitting. Whenever people ask them, “Where are you folks from?” They would answer, “France.”

Unfortunately, Rod Serling died in 1975, two years before the Coneheads made their first appearance. Although they were not from the Twilight Zone, they just as well might have been!

Well, most of you might be surprised to know that the Coneheads are back! But this time, they are no longer living in the United States or France, but actually in Israel. A group of Ultra-Orthodox women dubbed by observers as the “Jewish Taliban Women,” have come up with a new stringency not even Moses and the ancient rabbis could have imagined.

Until now, the “Taliban women” wore a veil covering their entire face except for their eyes. Their long cloaks were meant to hide the contour of their bodies. They looked indistinguishable from the actual Taliban Muslim women. But evidently, these Jewish “Taliban Women” decided that the veil was no longer good enough. Their new head coverings consist of wearing a pipe in the form of a cone, which they wear on their heads under the veil.

The most ultra-Orthodox group—the Eda Haredit (one of my teachers was a part of this court) have surprisingly come out against this group, but to no avail. The rabbis warned these women to stay away from the customs and ways of the “Taliban women”, who “are doomed.” On the other hand, the pious Haredim of Beth Shemesh see nothing wrong with such displays of religious modesty. In fact, they seem to view it as something desirable, judging by the recent television interviews.

Feats of piety, not to mention contests of piety are nothing new in the history of religion. In the days of Late Antiquity, both Judaism and Christianity had sects that engaged in such activities. Rabbinical literature contains valuable records about their antics and desire to live a holy life. Here is one story in particular that really stands out:

• After the Second Temple was destroyed, many people became ascetics and abstained from eating meat or drinking wine. Rabbi Joshua engaged them in discussion. He asked them, “My Children, why do you choose not to eat meat nor drink wine? They replied, “Shall we eat the flesh which used to be brought as a continual offering on the altar, and now it is no more?  He said to them, “Then why will you not drink wine?” They replied, “Because wine was poured on the altar as a drink offering, and now it is no more.” He said to them, “Fine and well, let us not drink it. However, by the same token we should not eat bread either, for from it they brought the two loaves of the Showbread! While we are at it, we should probably abstain from drinking water too, for they used to pour a water-offering for the holiday of Succoth. We should neither eat fruit either because there is no longer an offering of the first fruits on the holiday of Aseret.”[1] They became silent. . . [2]

Two thousand years ago, the Jewish community had an entire class of people who delighted in such feats of piety. Among the inhabitants of the Qumran community, they refrained from having sexual relations in the city of Jerusalem, which they regarded as an extension of the Temple vicinity.

The Jerusalem Talmud writes, “Who is a man of piety that is a fool? “He, for example, who, if a woman is drowning, says, ‘It is unseemly for me to look at her, and therefore, I cannot rescue her. . . . Who is the pious fool? He who sees a child struggling in the water, and says, ‘When I have taken off my phylacteries, I will go and save him.’ By the time he arrives to rescue him, the child has already expired. Who is the crafty scoundrel? R. Huna says, ‘He is the man who behaves leniently toward himself, while teaching others only the strictest rules.’”[3]

“Our Rabbis have taught: There are seven types of Pharisees, of which five are criticized: the ostentatious Pharisee[4]the Pharisee who knocks his feet together and walks with exaggerated humility[5], the Pharisee is one who knocks his face against the wall rather than gaze at a woman.[6] The Pharisee who feigns religious piety while constantly exclaiming, ‘What is my duty that I may perform it?’”[7]  Only two of these,  the “God-fearing” Pharisee, who lives in holy awe and the fear of God, the Pharisee who is one for the love of God, are worthy of praise (JT Berachoth, 9.7).

(A parenthetical note: To the best of my knowledge, I am unaware of any Talmudic text that speaks about spitting at little girls who are “immodestly dressed.” By today’s standards, the Pharisees of today make the seven listed in the Mishnah look pale in comparison.)

The Mishnah in Sotah 20a, mentions that the “female Pharisee,” is “among those who bring destruction to the world.” The “Taliban Women” of Jerusalem could certainly qualify as modern-day examples of the “Pharisee woman,” who in all likelihood became the forerunner of the Christian convent for women that was so popular in the medieval period.

Actually, these rabbinic passages support Jesus’ criticism of the Pharisees for their ostentatious show of religious piety (cf.  Mat. 6:1-4). Of course, not all the Pharisees behaved in such a weird and strange way, but a number of them did! In every generation there are people who are genuinely pious; and then we have the imitators . . . like we see today.

Historically, the super-pious Pharisees of antiquity also inspired their Christian cousins too. Will Durant explains in his Story of Civilization, in his volume on “The Age of Faith” writes about the ascetics of the 4^th century, who did their best to escape temptation; they used to punish their bodies and live a hermetic life. The extremes to which they went in their attempts to deny gratification of “physical lusts” are by modern standards, quite incredible.

For example, St. Ascepsimas wore so many chains that he had to crawl around on hands and knees. A monk named “Besarion,” would not even give in to his body’s desire for restful sleep—for forty years he would not lie down while sleeping. Macarius the Younger sat naked in a swamp for six months until mosquito bites made him look like a victim of leprosy. St. Marion spent eleven years living in a hollowed-out tree trunk. Others lived in caves, dens of beasts, dry wells—even tombs.

Is cleanliness the closest thing to godliness? Well, this attitude was not always historically the case. Durant points out that the early Christian saints suffered the discomfort of filth, stench, worms, and maggots, which were considered to be spiritually beneficial and a sign of victory over the body . . .

Some of the most celebrated saints of this era were Simeon the Stylite of Syria and Daniel the Stylite of Constantinople. Simeon spent 37 years on different pillars, each one loftier and narrower than the last. The last pillar was 66 feet high. He died in 460, aged 72.[8]

Frankly, I am amazed he managed to live such a long life and did not get struck by lightning. Not to be outdone, Daniel lived 33 years on a pillar, and was not infrequently nearly blown off by the storms from Thrace. He died in 494. I am unsure how long he lived; he might not have been as luck as his colleague, Simeon. Alfred Tennyson wrote a poem on Simeon Stylites, “Simeon of the Pillar” by surname–Stylites among men—”was the watcher of the column till the end.”

Rabbinic wisdom challenged many of these early conceptions of piety that existed in both the Jewish and early Christian communities. Rather than retreating from the pleasures of this world, the rabbis taught that the greater challenge is to spiritualize the mundane activities of our lives. Thus, Samuel (180-257 C.E.) exclaimed, “If this man (i.e., the Nazirite) who denied himself wine only is termed, ‘a sinner,’ how much more is the person who denies himself the enjoyment of ever so many things.”[9] R. Dimi, another 4^th century Babylonian scholar (290 – 350 CE) criticized these groups in unflinching terms, “Are there not enough prohibitions in the Torah? Why would you want to take upon yourself even more prohibitions?[10]

The problem with the “Taliban women” of Jerusalem or Beth Shemesh, Israel is that these groups of women feel that God wants them to live a holy life that demands a withdrawal from the sinfulness and forbidden temptations of the world. In reality, this attitude would not exist were it not for the excessive piety many rabbis in Jerusalem have championed over the years. When women’s faces become perceived as something pornographic, burkas are the next logical step in the Haredi evolution toward the creation of “Taliban Judaism.”

It’s a lot easier to be fussy about the length of a woman’s skirt, or examine how many bugs can be found on a leaf of lettuce  than it is to actively fight the problems of corruption, defrauding the government, pedophilia, spousal abuse, intolerance, sexism, bigotry, which seem to emanate continuously from within the rank and file members of the  religious community. If we are ever going to become a “light unto the nations” (Isa. 60:3), shouldn’t we  try to be a light unto ourselves first?

True piety requires a willingness to live within the confines of the world. Obviously, that requires a lot more inner strength. Holiness comes from being a part of a community of individuals who vary in their spiritual abilities. Some people will be further along the track than others.

One 10^th century work cautions would-be-ascetics, “Someday a person will have to give an accounting for all the pleasures of this world that he abstained from enjoying, for such an ingrate shows no appreciation for King’s bounties and grace.”[11] The Taliban women along with their rabbis would be wise to take these practical words to heart. The real righteous (I prefer “just” over the term “righteous”) person is someone who sincerely lives the honest life, walks his talk, and treats his neighbor with kindness, compassion and integrity—even in the face of dishonesty and social corruption.
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Below is from my new Jewish Values Online column:

My mother and I are presently having an issue about tznius (the Jewish laws of Modesty). I wear long skirts and when skirts are just past the knee or a little longer, I wear pants underneath. I also prefer to wear long sleeves rather than 3/4 sleeves, and I generally do not wear red. My mother thinks that all this is unnecessary, and won’t let me out of the house in more than two layers during the summer, although I never get overheated. If I feel that dressing this way is essential to my Judaism, do I have to listen to my mother?

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Assuming that you are new to the Orthodox life, I think your mother is correct; honoring her wishes is certainly one of the most important precepts—especially since she does not mind you dressing like a Modern Orthodox young woman. Before you know it, someday you will be on your own and you can dress as modestly as you like.

I suggest you not try to be overly modest with your attire. As a general rule, one should always dress by the standards of one’s community and not try to draw too much attention to oneself (e.g., by dying your hair green, or wear a style of clothing that would stop traffic).

Modesty is really more about a state of mind than it is anything else. Being “modest,” is an important value in our tradition. Perhaps the most famous passage regarding modesty comes from the prophet Micah 6:8, which reads:

You have been told, O man, what is good,

and what the LORD requires of you:

Only to do right and to love goodness,

and to walk modestly with your God.

The traditions of tsiniut (modesty) really vary from community to community. What one community considers “modest,” is considered “immodest” by another. For example, a couple of years ago in Israel, there were some Haredi rabbis who complained about a dress shop’s display of naked mannequins! I can assure you there are no laws of tsniut governing mannequins! Some places in Israel even ban women’s pictures  in their newspapers, billboards, and magazines.

Here are some other examples to consider:

• In Sephardic countries, even young girls used to cover their hair because it was (and still is in many parts of the Muslim world), for young girls to appear “immodestly dressed.” Some ladies in Jerusalem have upset even the most pious of rabbis by wearing a burka, only exposing their eyes. However, as the great Sephardic scholar Ben Ish Chai explains, the custom of head coverings was rejected by the women of Europe.[1]

• Some Halachic scholars argue that a little bit of exposed hair presents no Halachic problem.[2]Many Modern Orthodox women will not cover their hair once they are married; those who do cover their hair, don’t mind letting large portions of their hair show underneath a hat. Now in other communities like in Me’ah Sha’arim in Jerusalem, that would be the height of immodesty.

• Another perennial question regarding tsniut is the matter whether or not women may sing in a public event; once again, there are ample precedents that permit women to sing—but others would regard this position as “immodest.”

• Women are routinely assaulted by the Haredim in Israel for not sitting at the “back of the bus,” and that their failure to do so is because of an alleged lack of tsniut.
• Some communities insist that women walk on opposite sides of the street, or that they not attend a store whenever there are men inside shopping.

Obviously, your community has different modesty standards than the examples I mentioned in Israel. As you can see, there is no limit how modest one wishes to be.

In summary, there is much to be said that, “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” Modesty rules commiserate with the standards seen in your community. Modesty is never pretentious; a modest person is not interested in merely “looking” modest, but is truly modest—she’s the real deal and not an imitation.[3]

One last note, I have noticed that some young women do wear dresses over pants; I am told by some of the young teenage girls in my Shul, that this is considered fashionable. As always, it behooves young and old alike to communicate their perspectives in a pleasant manner. Sometimes it is not what we say that is important, it is how we express our opinions that really matters.

Notes:

[1] Ben Ish Chai writes further, “Look at the women of Europe, whose custom is not to hide themselves from strangers. Nonetheless, their clothes are orderly; they do not expose their bodies except only their faces, necks, hands, and heads.  It is true that their hair is uncovered and this custom of theirs is not possible according to our laws.  However, they have one justification.They say, ‘Yet still, this custom (of having their hair uncovered) was accepted by all their women – both Jewish and Gentile – to walk about with their hair uncovered is no different than revealing of their faces. It does not arouse erotic  thoughts in men when they see their hair with their eyes.’ This is the justification for their custom, and there is no need to reject this [halachic] position of theirs”( Ben Ish Chai, Rav Po’alim 4:5).

[2] R. Moshe Feinstein, E.H. 1:58; cf. Igrot Moshe OH 4:112:4.

[3]There is a fascinating psychological concept in Halacha known as מחזי כיוהרא (mechzei k’yuhara), i.e., public religious actions that give an appearance of excessive piety). For example, the Mishnah Berurah mentions the practice of one individual who used to publically put on Rabbanu Tam’s Tefillon as a show of his excessive piety. Such behavior is considered ostentatious and inappropriate (O.H. 34 MB 16, cf. O.H. 652:6).

Jewish tradition has long cautioned the Jewish people not to emulate the religious ways of the non-Jew. Despite numerous biblical and rabbinical proscriptions, urging Israel to walk the straight and narrow, today’s Ultra-Orthodox Jews seem to be borrowing a page from the Taliban, a group not especially known for its tolerance, or for its respect for women.

A couple of years ago, the Haredi rabbis complained about mannequins that were immodestly dressed. In addition, they must never be shown without wearing a head-covering known as “hijab.”  I know what some of you must be thinking: You must be kidding!

Well, you might be surprised to know that the sexiness of mannequins is forbidden in Iran as well. Iranian women have to adhere to a very strict dress code much like the Haredi do in Jerusalem and other cities.

For example: In Iran, men cannot sell women’s underwear, nor are they allowed to wear form-fitting trousers, or any kind of Western styles that are viewed as symbols of Western decadence.

Barbershops have been closed down because these shops offer good grooming techniques for men, e.g., eyebrow-plucking (you see, the uni-brow is the fashion rage in both Haredi and Iranian communities among the men and the women!?), hair-gel for men, bowties.

But wait a minute!! The Haredi are not about to lose the “Modesty race,” and so in the spirit of upmanship, the Haredi have banned all female mannequins; in addition, no woman’s face can even appear on a billboard in Jerusalem. Israeli soldiers have also been told by some of the wacky Ultra-Orthodox Zionist rabbis that Israeli soldiers should rather allow themselves to be shot at a firing squad rather than listen to a woman singing. S0me extremists have adopted wearing the same kind of burka that is worn by the Taliban.

Despite the similarities, there are significant differences between the Haredi women of Jerusalem and the women of Iran. What we do know is that women in Iran regard the entire country like one gigantic prison. Women are stoned for allegedly “committing adultery,” and according to the penalty for adultery:

• The penalty for adultery under Article 83 of the penal code, called the Law of Hodoud is flogging (100 lashes of the whip) for unmarried male and female offenders. Married offenders may be punished by stoning regardless of their gender, but the method laid down for a man involves his burial up to his waist, and for a woman up to her neck (article 102). The law provides that if a person who is to be stoned manages to escape, he or she will be allowed to go free. Since it is easier for a man to escape, this discrimination literally becomes a matter of life and death.[1]

Bear in mind that if a woman in Iran is raped, and she happens to be married—she still gets stoned for having committed “adultery.”

Well, the Haredi would love to treat their wayward wives this way, but the State of Israel prevents this from happening. However, should the Haredi succeed in creating a true Torah theocracy in Israel, I would not be surprised to see corporeal punishment distributed to all the women who are immodestly attired.  The difference is only a matter of degree rather than kind.

Both religious communities are misogynous to the core and both societies have tremendous contempt for Western culture. For the Israeli government, some experts have warned that the Haredi attitude is much more dangerous to the future of Israel than the nuclear missiles Iran is trying to construct.

The American psychologist Abraham Maslow once said that “All pathologies pathologize, and all pathologies dichotomize.” The inability of both societies to respect the freedom of their women is what is at the heart of the fundamentalist war against modernity in our times. Continue Reading

Jewish folklore has always tantalized the imagination of young Jewish children for ages. One of the most memorable books I remember reading was Nathan Ausbell’s brilliant, “Treasury of Jewish Folklore,” which I loved reading when I was about eleven years old. The stories of the Golem, and other tales of the Jewish supernatural were almost as good as reading comic-books!

One story that is among the most famous stories concerns a 1^st century rabbi, named Simeon ben Shetach, who single-handedly killed eighty witches in the town of Ashkelon.

Here is the story:

• After R. Simeon ben Shetah was designated head of the Sanhedrin, some people came and told him, “There are eighty witches in a cave in Ashkelon, bent on destroying the world.” On that day there was a heavy rainstorm. Still R. Simeon ben Shetah arose at once, gathered eighty young men of tall stature, and took them with him. He gave each one a new jug with a cloak folded up in it, and they placed the jugs upside down on their heads. Then R. Simeon said to them, “When I chirp the first time, put on your cloaks. When I chirp a second time, all of you enter the cave together. After you enter, each of you is to take one of the witches into his arms and lift her off the ground.” For such is the way of a witch–once you lift her off the ground, she can do nothing at all. Then R. Simeon went and stationed himself at the entrance to the cave and called to the witches, “Oyim, oyim, open for me, for I am one of you.” They asked, “How did you manage to come here bone-dry at such a rainy hour?” He replied, “I walked between the raindrops.” They: “What did you come to do here?” He: “To study and to teach, and to have each of you do what she knows.” So one intoned whatever [incantation] she intoned and produced a loaf of bread; another intoned something else and produced a cut of meat; a third produced a cooked dish; and a fourth produced wine. Then they asked him, “And you, what can you do?” He said, “I can chirp twice and produce for you eighty young men wearing dry cloaks. They will find joy in you and give joy to you.” He chirped once, and the young men put on their cloaks. He chirped a second time, and all of them entered the cave together. R. Simeon said, “Let each select his mate.” They picked them up, went out, and hanged them.

• The kinsmen of the eighty women were thereby provoked to anger. Two of them came and bore witness to a charge against R. Simeon ben Shetah’s son, which made him liable to the death penalty, and he was sentenced to be put to death. On his way to be stoned, he said, “If I am guilty of this iniquity, let not my death be my expiation; but if I am not guilty, may my death be expiation for all my iniquitous deeds and may the collar [of perjury] encircle the necks of the witnesses.”When the witnesses heard what he had said, they retracted and confessed, “We are false witnesses.” The father wished to bring his son back [from the place where he was to be stoned]. But the son said, “If you really wish to bring deliverance during your regime, regard me as though I were not your son [and let the Sanhedrin decide my fate]. [From  William G. Braude's trans. of N. Bialik's Sefer Aggadah s.v. witches.]

The story is interesting, largely because R. Simeon ben Shetach ignored what is commonly referred today as, “due process.” In the early posting that I cited concerning Simeon’s observation of a murder crime, which he did not actually see, the alleged assailant was ultimately killed by a poisonous serpent. Although there was no actual due process, the assailant met his fate by the hand of God.

Simeon ben Shetach’s behavior is surprising. Why did he take it upon himself to rid the inhabitants of their alleged witches?   Why did he violate the rabbinic law that no court is allowed to execute more than two people a day? From the sound of the Talmudic narrative, it seems that Simeon acted as judge, witness, jury, and executioner—all in one. How could he flagrantly violate the due process law of Jewish tradition?

I came across a fascinating study by Meir Bar-Ilan, who writes extensively about the nature of witchcraft in the ancient Judaic world. Many of his observations may offer (with some tweaking on my part), a possible answer to our questions. According to Prof. Meir Bar-Ilan [1], women in the Talmudic era were not the only ones who engaged in witchcraft, indeed, many men—especially rabbis—frequently participated in witchcraft, yet nobody thought to hold them accountable.[2] He explains the reason why they were singled out for oppression and not the menfolk!

• Linking women to witchcraft can serve as a lesson in suppressing a lower social class, but also in how the stronger class can strengthen its political status. One should also note another aspect of the sexual division in the issue at hand. In reality, all the sources which deplore women for their witchcraft are “male” sources. All the books quoted above were written, to the best of our knowledge, by men, and R. Yose and R. Simeon bar Yohai, who deplored women because of witchcraft, were also men. Indeed, one should note that the same R. Simeon bar Yohai who deplored women for their witchcraft was himself involved in witchcraft. After all, we are told that he removed a spirit which had entered into the body of the emperor’s daughter (Me’ilah 17b), i.e., he was engaged in exorcism. It was R. Simeon bar Yohai who looked at his opponent and turned him into a heap of bones (JT Shevi’it 9:1, 38d), or, in other words, by the use of the “Evil Eye”. So too are other miraculous deeds attributed to him.[3]

He further argues that in a male dominated culture like that of the Pharisees and their rabbinic successors, women did not enjoy equal political power like the men (he neglects to mention that Queen Alexandra Salome was the exception to the rule). As one might expect, men often blamed women for all the ills of their society—hence, executing witches was seen as something good for the social order—even though the rabbis violated rabbinical and Scriptural laws to do so. Bar-Ilan further points out that some of the Sages were of the opinion that most Jewish women participated in witchcraft! Because of their powerlessness in a male-dominated society, women sometimes resorted to witchcraft as a way of empowering themselves in an oppressive world.

There may be yet another factor to consider. According to the JT in Sanhedrin, it appears as though the leaders of Jerusalem were somewhat divided upon who should be the head of the Sanhedrin. There may have been a political motivation that would secure his position as the leader of the Sanhedrin instead of R. Yehuda ben Tabbai, who appears to have been a possible competitor.[4] R. Simeon ben Shetach’s political promises probably appealed to the arch-conservatives of his time who simply hated women. Bar-Ilan is correct in also pointing out that misogyny was very rampant in much of the early rabbinical world, and a number of rabbis had no qualms speaking disparaging comments about the nature of women in general.[5]

The death of R. Simeon ben Shetach’s son may be more the result of tallionic justice than a mere happenstance. In the rabbinical imagination, there is a principle of divine justice that always operates in the world—whether people are aware of it or not. The false charges levied upon R. Simeon ben Shetach’s son, his subsequent execution indicates that here is an example of a son suffering because of the sins of the father. Because of Simeon’s disregard for due process, and his failure to interrogate witnesses properly—he paid a tragic price. Heaven decreed against him, because his actions violated the ethics of the Torah regarding capital punishment.

This personal tragedy may also explain the sobering advice attributed to R. Simeon ben Shetach in Pirke Avoth, “Do much in examining the witnesses; and be careful in thy words; perchance by means of them they may learn to lie.”[6] This teaching would suggest that there is always a punishment from God whenever people try to manipulate the legal system to arrive at a foregone conclusion. Indeed, who would know better than R. Simeon ben Shetach? Continue Reading

The ancient Near East has always been a good-old-boy’s club. Testosterum  was (and still is) always in the air and especially in religion and culture; women, especially, lived politically marginal lives. That part of the world has hardly changed. Just look in the Middle East today; whether it is in Iran, Syria, Libya, or even Israel (among the Haredi and Hassidic communities)! Yet, in the same period of human history that witnessed the rise of Cleopatra in Egypt, there arose another great female leader that most of the world probably as never heard about– Queen Alexandra Salome.

Who could imagine that there was actually a female ruler in ancient Judea? Yes, over 2ooo years before Golda Meir became Israel’s first female prime minister, there was a beautiful woman who ruled ancient Judea in one of the most turbulent periods of her history— Alexandra Salome (Ἀλεξανδρα Σαλομε ), also known as Sholom-Zion—“the peace of Zion.” She belonged to the Hasmonean family.

You may recall that the Hasmoneans were the priestly family that took political control of Judea after defeating the Syrian Greeks. They were the heroes of the Chanukah story every Jewish child knows so much about.

Little is known about her, except for what little information Josephus provides about her.[1]

Queen Salome’s life sounds like a story made for the silver-screen. Born in 139 B.C.E., Alexandra Salome may have come from a Pharasaic family. Alexandra’s first husband was a madman named Aristobulus I (Definitely not a nice guy!), who had seized power from his mother, and even left her to starve in prison along with his poor brothers.  After her first husband’s death she recognizes that she too might end up the same way as her ill-fated mother-in-law, she engineers the death of Aristobulus’ brother and successor—Antigonus—and soon, she became Queen! For her first queenly act, she immediately frees her poor mother-in-law and brothers, and marries Aristobulus’ youngest son, Alexander Jannaeus (very bad idea!).

Although she expected him to be weak, she had hoped to influence him to become a part of the Pharisee party. However, all of this backfired against her. Jannaeus proved to be a great enemy of the Pharisees, and his policy led to a civil war that resulted in the death of 50,000 people.

Alexandra’s sons proved to be a life challenge. One good-natured son was named Hyrcannus II (who had become a loyal Pharisee); she also had a more aggressive son who definitely behaved a lot like her former ex husband, named Aristobulus II  (who remained loyal to the Sadducees). In her effort to keep the peace and to avoid the inevitable civil war that would soon follow, she decided to remain as Queen as long as she possibly could. She realized that in a man’s world, survival would prove to be a daunting task.

This conflict set the stage for Alexandra Salome’s reign. The Talmud, a codification of Jewish Oral Law, names her brother (or possibly cousin as some modern scholars now believe) was the famous Rabbi Shimon ben Shetach, one of the early Pharisees who popularized the oral tradition. Queen Salome is mentioned in a number of places in the Talmud.[2]

Queen Salome had a remarkable way of keeping family members from dismembering one another (pardon the pun).

Upon the death of her husband, she had to go through the proper burial rites, and for the sake of peace, she gave him an appropriate burial.

As the Pharisee party grew in popularity, Queen Salome took the steps to expand the influence of the Pharisees by appointing them to key positions throughout the country. The Sadducees soon realized that the political reality had begun marginalizing their influence.

Simeon ben Shatech once again assumed his position as head of the Sanhedrin. Under Queen Salome, the Sanhedrin focused exclusively upon religious issues and questions of justice; Judaism under Queen Salome started to become more of a populist religion for people of all ages, and was no longer viewed as just a priestly religion, as understood and taught by the priestly Sadducees.

Under her influence, Judea became a much stronger military power in the ANE. From time to time, she ordered military expeditions to secure the country. She also built strong garrison cities to ensure the safety of Judea’s borders. In addition, she saw to it that the widows and orphans were cared for by the State. Cities replaced dishonest and crooked judges with honest people who could not be corrupted. Witnesses had to be carefully cross-examined and investigated before a judge(s) arrived at a verdict.

It is unclear how exactly Queen Salome died. Was she poisoned by her ruthless son Aristobulus? Had she not died, she probably would have been forced off the throne by Aristobulus. In any event, after she died, both of her sons competed for control of Judea. Recognizing that Rome was the new world power, each brother tried to bribe Pompey. Pompey later met with both brothers and favored Hyrcannus II, who was also the rightful heir to the throne. Hyrcanus’ powerful chief minister named Antipater, who was Idumean, brokered a deal with Rome in 63 B.C.E.  and Judaea then became a Roman vassal state. Antipater’s second son later became the famous King Herod, who is mentioned in the NT and Josephus.

However, Aristobulus II was not about to give up his throne, so he engaged the Romans in battle. The results were disastrous: 12,000 dead soldiers. The Temple had become a battle zone. Pompey conquered Jerusalem, and Aristobulus II was taken as a prisoner to Rome. The Romans positioned Hyrcannus II as the High Priest, but the Romans banned him from politics.

In summary, Queen Alexandra Salome demonstrated to the world that a woman could do a man’s job and run the country better and more effectively than many believed possible. Jewish history has demonstrated since biblical days that women have always distinguished themselves in so many ways. Queen Salome joins the ranks of Miriam, Deborah, Esther, Golda Meir and others—as women who brought civility and courage to a people that needed compassionate and responsible leadership.

Ever wonder what is really bothering millions of men living in the Middle East today? In the past I have argued that Oriental societies have been painfully patriarchal since the beginning of human history. With the advent of woman’s liberation movements, coupled with the Westernization of values, the Muslim, Catholic, and Haredi (Ultra-Jewish Orthodoxy) feels threatened since they view these values as undermining patriarchal authority.

Although there is considerable literature and testimonies about how husbands control their wives in Iran, and how their very lives depend upon acquiescing to their husbands’ whims, the Ultra-Orthodox world of Haredi Judaism is not too far behind. In some ways, the rabbis are even worse.

Here is a case in point. Let me begin with a brief digression before going into the specific issue I wish to address.

Normally billboards don’t attract too much attention, unless they are the kind of billboards you would see in Las Vegas, or some of the southern cities like Charlotte, N.C. promoting “gentlemen’s clubs.” In fact, often these billboards are advertised next to other billboards promoting churches. I suppose after going to the gentlemen’s clubs, the men probably feel they need to go to church and confess their sins!

Now in Israel, the billboards are no less controversial, but because they portray racy looking pictures of lovely women—but because they show ordinary looking men and women together!  One such billboard was promoting a special program, “Oz Latmura” designed to improve the economic status of high school teachers, while also raising the level and quality of children’s education.

Haredi rabbis and their followers were so upset at these pictures, they decided to deface the photos of women,  despite the fact that the women depicted were modestly dressed! One resident told Ynet News, “Our anger is directed at the company that posted the ads, which violate the agreement with the Municipality. Municipal law bans ads which include pictures of women…. [Posting pictures of women] hurts the Haredi public’s feelings, and therefore we had the woman’s photo [on the billboard] covered [with those stickers]. The signs that include pictures of male teachers only can be posted in the city without any problem.”

Some months ago, the Haredi defaced Hillary Clinton’s picture in the Yiddish newspapers, much to the rabbis’ embarrassment and shame.

After I read these comments, the thought occurred to me that the Haredim wished to blot out to women’s faces.  But why the face? Now that’s an interesting question. I would argue that psychologically, the human face is what really identifies each of us as human beings. The human face is capable of such a myriad of expressions; humanity comes through the human face. Whenever we see a human face anguished or crying, we instinctively feel the pull to help that person. The face, as the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas used to say, “ . . . commands, without commanding in words.” Sometimes when an indigent man comes to us for help, we shy away from looking at the homeless man, for we know if we look at the poor man, we know we must help him. Continue Reading